PPL Center dishes up doughnuts and pizza

Tim Hortons has opened at the PPL Center in Allentown. (MICHAEL KUBEL, THE MORNING CALL)

Lenora Dannelke,Special to The Morning Call

New restaurants dishing up doughnuts and pizza at PPL Center

Nothing goes better with hockey than doughnuts and coffee — at least in Canada, where the Tim Hortons brand surpasses McDonald's in total sales. Now the new PPL Center in downtown Allentown boasts the first Tim Hortons in the Lehigh Valley.

Phantoms hockey team co-owner Rob Brooks says, "Through our travels, we have stopped at many Tim Hortons stores and believe it has the best coffee." (My personal interaction with a Pumpkin Pie Iced Capp lends support to this opinion.)

Much of the shop's business is take-out — either into the arena or out the front door onto Hamilton Street. There are about 30 seats, including a communal table, several deuce tables and seats by an unexpected fireplace. "It a great place for coffee and conversation," says General Manager George Arce.

An open-concept bakery near the front counter replenishes display cases throughout the day with freshly made doughnuts, bagels, muffins, pastries and other goodies. The menu also includes paninis, wraps, sandwiches, chili and low-sodium soups.

Signature coffee is always freshly brewed, and myriad frothy variations are served along with hot chocolate, tea and cold specialty beverages.

The storefront is near the arena's main entrance at Hamilton and Seventh streets. Current hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, however, Arce says they will be adjusted for events at the arena.

Another arena venue, Crust — on Hamilton closer to Eighth Street — is a new brand in its soft-opening stage. This trendy specialty pizza restaurant has an orange garage door on the front that Brooks says emphasizes the Phantoms theme.

The restaurant's large coal-fired pizza oven (with a gas assist) also is used to cook garlic and herb wings, Italian meatballs and goat cheese stuffed Anaheim peppers, plus premise-baked focaccia for sandwiches — and the roast beef, turkey and roasted red peppers that fill them. A coal-fired pizza place in Pittsburgh inspired Brooks to take this concept to Ovations, PPL Center's hospitality partner.

Traditional pizzas with all the optional toppings are complemented by specialty pies that include the bacon-caramelized onion-honey goat cheese-topped Camille, named in honor of Brooks' bacon-loving 5-year-old daughter.

General Manager Gabriel Negrón says an expanded menu, to be unveiled during an early October grand opening, will include whole-wheat and gluten-free crusts.

The restaurant's ground floor features a full-service bar and pub tables, and an industrial-style high ceiling that Chef Christopher Cicchino uses to his advantage when tossing crusts in the air. An upper lever dining room brings seating to about 100. Current hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.